STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3006

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1839

       H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Tourism and International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1839, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DIAMOND HEAD STATE MONUMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the Diamond Head State Monument by authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds for the planning, design, and construction of a Diamond Head State Monument visitor and interpretive center.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Diamond Head State Monument Foundation, and O‘ahu Island Parks Conservancy.

     Your Committees find that Diamond Head is a world-famous landmark, representing Hawaii to millions of people throughout the world.  Diamond Head State Monument receives over one million visitors annually - more than any other Hawaii state park – and the visitors currently use the services of an interpretive kiosk.  Your Committees find that the high number of visitors justifies the planning, design, and construction of a dedicated visitor and interpretive center, which has been a long-standing goal of the Diamond Head State Monument master plan, and which can more adequately inform the public and provide educational programs about the unique history and significance of Diamond Head.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Tourism and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1839, H.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Tourism and International Affairs,

________________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Majority Leader

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair